


Stop The World & Only Us

by SweetInsanityWrites (SweetInsanityArts)



Series: music to my ears [3]
Category: The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Ciri has many parents, F/M, Family, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff, I multiship it, Kissing, M/M, Multi, Yennefer has a soft side, everyone is soft
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-21
Updated: 2020-01-21
Packaged: 2021-02-25 08:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,095
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22353145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SweetInsanityArts/pseuds/SweetInsanityWrites
Summary: Yennefer joins Geralt and Jaskier on their journey of redeeming themselves from episode 6, basicallyalso Ciri's in the epilogue
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion, Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg, Jaskier | Dandelion/Yennefer z Vengerbergu | Yennefer of Vengerberg
Series: music to my ears [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1606753
Comments: 26
Kudos: 166





	1. Stop The World

**Author's Note:**

> i couldn't decide on a song so i split them between the main part and the lil epilogue
> 
> as always, forgive me for any language that's not really period-accurate, i'm not used to writing historic characters but i am trying my best!
> 
> (this is part 3 of a series, you dont need to read the other 2 but obv i recommend it)
> 
> also, the intro scene was inspired by the absolutely adorable comic by Sayuri527 that has been my phone's wallpaper for a while now, so credit where credit is due

> _Stop the world_  
>  _Take a picture_  
>  _Try to capture_  
>  _To ensure this moment lasts_  
>  _We're still in it, but in a minute -_  
>  _That's the limit - and this present will be past_
> 
> _And here we are_  
>  _Where the world has come together_  
>  _And she will be_  
>  _In this picture, forever_

_ Geralt _

The sun was beginning to set behind the mountains on the horizon and the air grew colder. 

In a few hours the last bit of light and warmth would fade, leaving them vulnerable not just to the weather but to the creatures that crawled from their caves and nests. If they wanted to rest at all tonight, they would have to leave the woods soon and find a place that was easier to defend. 

Geralt could have easily walked on through the night, he hadn’t been in a fight for a few days now and his muscles felt almost restless. Yennefer was likely just as tough and would definitely not thank him for treating her any less capable than himself. But his human companion didn’t share their enhanced stamina. Jaskier’s footsteps had grown slower and heavier, limping slightly ever since they had climbed up a slope earlier that day. The Witcher suspected the bard had hurt himself on top of his exhaustion from their travels, yet was determined to keep up with the superhumans. 

Not that any of this ever stopped him from chatting like a crone in a tavern. Since sun-high, Jaskier had been mostly monologuing about tales he’d heard from mercenaries, women he’d met at parties and the men who had hunted him through various villages when they caught him. As much as he hated to admit it, after all those months of utter solitude Geralt had welcomed the familiar presence and the endless enthusiasm with which he told his stories. But his energy was drained and he couldn’t focus on the other man’s words as he navigated them through the wood, hoping they would find their way out before nightfall. The bard was singing now, stopping every few verses to correct himself and try again from the beginning. He had asked him to be quiet multiple times now but it never lasted long. even Yen’s death threats couldn’t faze him. It seemed the time had come for more extreme actions. 

Geralt stopped in his tracks, staring at Jaskier until he froze mid-sentence and met his eyes, a look of confusion and anxiety on his face. The Witcher grabbed his hand and pulled him closer, pressing the lean body against his. He waited just a second, searching the other’s face for any sign of protest, finding nothing but warmth and trust mixed with the initial confusion. His free hand cupped the man’s face and pulled him into a deep kiss. 

Jaskier responded, kissing back with even more hunger and eagerness, gasping softly against his lips. 

When Geralt pulled back, the bard’s face was flushed in the sweetest shade of pink, his eyes wide and glowing. From then on, he followed Geralt in silence, eyes sparkling and lips smiling sweetly. Even as the sun cast it’s last rays of light over the mountain tops and they found an open space to make camp at, no sound came from the man’s lips. 

Yennefer cast a questioning glance at him but held back whatever comment came to her mind, probably afraid to break the spell. 

Before long, they had sat down near a fire, tents set up, watching the flames dance against the night sky and catching their breath. Geralt was cleaning his sword, the blade glowing like liquid fire in his hands. Yen had taken out needle and thread and was wordlessly fixing up a hole in her coat where she’d gotten caught on a branch. Her violet eyes kept darting up to look at the men as if she was waiting for something. She’d only recently joined them on their journey and the new closeness between the two seemed to confuse her at times. Not that she’d ever admit it.

“Jaskier. We’ve been doing this for four months now.” Geralt said quietly. 

“Doing what?” Jaskier blinked as though waking from a trance.

“Us. You and me. The kissing and the sex.” He shrugged. “Some might even call it courting.”

Yennefer lowered her needle and arched her brow.

“Am I boring you?” The bard asked.

“Not at all. I’m just wondering why you still react like it’s the first time I’ve ever touched you. Not that I mind. I just wonder.” 

Jaskier’s eyes flickered over to the sorceress, blushing deeper, clearly nervous about their relationship being adressed so openly in front of the sorceress.

“Well. I use words to express what I feel. It’s my work, my art, my passion. And yet I never found the right words to truly capture how I feel about you.” He smiled. “I guess I just like to take in every moment, to  _ feel _ and make sure I remember every second of it.” His eyes met Geralt’s and the tension fell from his body.

“Every time you kiss me or touch me or talk to me might be the last and I just want to make sure I don’t miss a single second of it.”

Geralt’s chest tightened with a familiar ache. The curse that came with prolonged life. The pain that people like him knew too well. Life was fragile and short and finite. He could tell Yennefer had the same thought as she dropped her gaze and stared at her hands.

“I can’t promise you forever, Jaskier.” He said quietly.

“I know.” Jaskier’s voice was warm and confident. “I never needed your forever. I don’t even need your tomorrow. All I ever wanted was  _ today _ .”

***

_ Yennefer _

She’s enjoyed the silence at first but now the bard was making her uncomfortable. 

The contrast between his chattering at day and his somber silence by night was just too much to take. Especially once Geralt had left to do his job and she was left alone with her thoughts. There was little worse than falling victim to her own mind and tonight she felt especially vulnerable to it, after all the mental energy her reunion with the Witcher had taken up.

She knew if she listened to the voices inside her head, those dark thoughts hidden deep in the shadows of her consciousness, they would try to make her regret. Regret that she followed the men into the woods, regret that she had fought beside her fellow sorceress, regret that she had chosen this path, regret that her attempt at taking her life had been unsuccessful. The same voices that had told her to leave him after the dragon encounter, that had screamed at her that her feelings and their relationship was nothing more than a lie, born from his betrayal. The same voices that had been reminding her all her life that she would never truly be loved. 

At least the bard’s stories had drowned them out all day, given her something to focus on without her usual escape through magic, potions, alcohol or drugs. Now she could feel them gnawing at the edges of her consciousness, threatening to wind their way back into her thoughts and send her down spiraling. How she hated her mind for having that much power over her after all these years.

“Are you okay?” Jaskier asked, his voice as sweet and gentle as ever. 

Immediately, she felt her defenses flare up, like invisible armour wrapping around her. 

“Of course I am.” She snapped, lowering her head so that her raven hair shielded her face. 

“I’m sorry, I meant no offense.” 

The way he spoke to her was different now than it had been when they had hunted the dragon. Back then he’d shown annoyance and disgust and she had reflected it back, equally bothered by his presence. Now, he seemed to almost welcome her, his question and his apology as sincere as though they’d been friends for decades. She wondered if it was his affair with Geralt or if she had her old friend Triss to thank for it. The other sorceress had been the reason she had sought out the Witcher in the first place. She’d seemed very determined to reunite the trio and eliminate old grudges.

For Ciri. 

For the child who needed a family, people who loved each other and loved her, a home no matter where in the world they were. They’d be with her soon and not for the first time she felt the fierce, primal instinct rise in her chest to protect this young life with all she had. 

“We’ll have to get along.” Yennefer said out loud, more to herself than to the other. 

“I was hoping we would.” Jaskier said nonchalantly. “You did try to kill me but that was right after saving my life, so I guess it’s kinda even and we can all be friends now. Life’s too short to hold grudges like this.” 

“Your life’s short. Mine’s endless.” 

“Mine so far has been filled with enough love and adventure for several lifetimes. I have no regrets, I don’t think.” 

She felt a stab of envy. Power and talent and fame she had. Men and women falling at her feet. Kings cowering in fear if she wanted to. But to be so in love with life, to love so easily … she couldn’t imagine ever feeling that way. 

“You’ll take care of him, won’t you?” Jaskier asked.

“You’re not old yet.” 

“No but I’m very mortal. Nothing better to remind me of that than two you two strutting around all day without a flicker of weakness.”

“Geralt would never let anything happen to you.” The Witcher’s devotion to the bard had been obvious from the moment the two of them had walked into her life but since they’d given in to their mutual attraction, no power in the world seemed to be able to separate them for long. “Neither of us would.”

“I appreciate that. But you heard him. No promises.” He met her gaze. His eyes showed a surprising amount of wisdom for someone with such a short life. “You and I, we’re the only ones who truly see him. I know he’d never admit it but he needs people like us.”

“You know what he wished from the djinn. Our paths are intertwined forever anyway.”

She sat closer to Jaskier and held out her hands. “Now, let me take a look at that foot.”

The pants turned out to be a problem.

“Why are your pants so tight?”

“I have nothing to hide.”   
“Strip.”

“That’s not -”

“Take. Off. Your. Pants. Or i’ll break your other foot, too.”

She couldn’t resist staring so she did it openly, making sure to look as unabashed but also threatening as she could. The outline she caught through the bard’s thin underclothes did not disappoint. Her expression must have given something away because the man stopped being shy and presented his injured leg to her with his head held high, his legs spreading slightly. She rolled her eyes. 

Jaskier’s foot wasn’t broken, just sprained and slightly swollen. Yen ran her fingers over it as gently as she could, spreading the only salve she had that was safe for an ordinary human over the bruised skin. Healing magic wouldn’t be necessary, if they travelled more carefully the next day. She bandaged the injured area to take the pressure off the damaged joint, to her great surprise apologizing instinctively when the man winced at the sudden pressure. 

“It feels much better now, thank you.” Jaskier lowered his leg but he didn’t move away. 

“Of course.”

“Sometimes I feel like a fragile pup that needs constant watching over.”

The sorceress shook her head. Annoyance flickered in her stomach at her own emotions but she pushed them down. “You’re not fragile.” She admitted. “If you were, you would’ve left long time ago. You’re annoying and your own special brand of stupid, but as much as I hate to admit it, you’re very brave and strong. For a regular human.”

Jaskier’s eyes glowed and he cast her a playful grin. Her annoyance grew with the fluttering in her chest. 

“Am I mistaken, my dear lady Yennefer of Vengerberg, or are you actually starting to grow fond of me?”

She flashed him a fiery glance. “If you tell anyone that I like you, I will turn you into a beetle and crush you with my heel. No one would ever find your body.”

He laughed softly and nodded. “You know, unlike Geralt I do believe you actually mean your threats.” There was respect in his voice, one that wasn’t born from fear or social norms, but a genuine respect for her character and her skill. “I have no interest in ruining your reputation. But,” his tone grew sarcastically dramatic, “I will forever cherish your words, holding them close to my heart, the sweetest of memories to follow me wherever my feet would -”

Yennefer sighed. Maybe the bard was right and life was indeed too short. At least tonight.

She grabbed the back of his neck and pulled him into her. Her kiss was tentative, surprising herself with how tender and careful her touch was. Jaskier was just as gentle, one hand curling into her hair, the other caressing her cheek. He didn’t even seem very surprised nor over-confident like she’d thought he’d be. She didn’t need force or a lot of energy to lead him, he responded to her movements and soft touch willingly as she climbed over him, pushing up her skirt so she could sit on his lap.

“Are you always this obedient?” The sorceress asked curiously, lifting her head from the other’s lips. A shiver ran down her spine as curious blue eyes stared into hers.

Jaskier shrugged lightly, his fingers thoughtfully wandering down her arm. “Not always. I simply figured it’s what you needed. Would you like something else?” She shook her head. 

His hand was at her wrist now. His thumb traced the rough scar, her reminder of the life she had left behind. He lifted her hand and kissed first the scar, then her palm, then her knuckles. 

Yen let out a soft breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. The fluttering in her chest grew stronger. Her curiosity and her need were too strong to hold back, so she cast aside her remaining doubts. She leaned back in to kiss him, fiercely and hungrily, though still with that tenderness she couldn’t quite explain. 

The world disappeared around them as their bodies came together.

***

_ Jaskier _

The scent of lilac and gooseberries filled the air around him. He buried his face deeper under the raven locks, kissing the soft skin of Yennefer’s neck again. It was yet another moment he wanted to stay with him forever. Her face was turned away from him as he hugged her from behind but he could tell she was smiling. 

“You’re truly beautiful, Yennefer of Vengerberg.” He whispered into her ear. He could sense the shiver running down her spine. 

“I paid a high price for this beauty.” She murmured. 

“Oh, you look great,” Jaskier answered with a chuckle, “but I wasn’t talking about looks.”

Yen turned under him, twisting her head to meet his gaze. Curiosity flickered over her face. 

“You’re a strange man, Jaskier.”

“And you an extraordinary woman.” He flashed his sweetest smile. 

“What the fuck?” A deep voice interrupted them. The soft light of the dying fire flickered over Geralt’s deeply confused face. He looked battered but not badly injured for once. 

“You were taking too long and I got bored.” Yennefer said simply, sitting up with a nonchalance as though he’d simply interrupted her reading a book. The blanket slid from her shoulders, revealing her naked skin. “Now that we know you didn’t get murdered, I think I’ll go to bed. Wash yourself off before you join me, will you.” She cast Jaskier another playful glance before she disappeared into her enchanted tent, leaving him to awkwardly stare up into the Witcher’s questioning gaze.

“Is this why you were so eager to find her?” 

“She started it!” 

“I dont care.” Geralt started to strip off his armour, giving Jaskier an opportunity to slip on his underclothes again and awkwardly collect the rest of clothing they’d thrown around the clearing. “I am not angry, you know.” The Witcher chuckled. “Just … surprised. I thought you hated her.”

“I admit I was quick to judge when I shouldn’t have been. But,” Jaskier bit his lip, “I’m starting to understand what you see in her. She’s fierce. And … more. A certain strength I’ve never seen before. She’s special.” 

Geralt paused mid-movement and stared at him n surprise. “You  _ like _ her.”

“Don’t act so surprised, I might’ve been near-death at the time but I still recall you fell for her within minutes of meeting her.” He felt a flicker of worry. “Does it bother you?”

Geralt dropped the last of his armour and walked up to Jaskier, pulling him against his chest. He smelled of mud and rain and wild, his hands were cold and his hair a tangled mess. Still, Jaskier pressed himself against him, lulled by the familiarity of the embrace. 

“Of course it doesn’t bother me. As you said, love isn’t something you run out of if you love too much.” He let out a soft laugh. “I used to think I’d never be loved by anyone, a mutant, cursed to wander the earth in solitude until the right monster took me out of my misery. Now two people are willing to share their heart with me.” 

“I kinda know the feeling.” Yen’s voice sounded from the tent entrance. She had put on a light nightgown and stood, arms crossed, her fiery eyes demanding attention. “Wondered what’s taking you so long, if you’re gonna make out, I want to watch.” 

Geralt pressed one last kiss onto Jaskier’s forehead, before releasing him from his embrace.

“Let’s not keep the lady waiting.”

Inside the tent was only one bed. Jaskier wondered if the sorceress had influence over the interior, watching her as she crawled under the sheets and cast them an expectant look. He realized the bed was much wider than a regular double-bed would be, answering his question. 

“Do you want to talk about this?” Geralt offered as they both joined her.

“There’s nothing to talk about. I think we both knew this was coming, sooner or later.” Yennefer said simply. She waved her hand and the lamps and candles went out, leaving them in darkness. Jaskier closed his eyes, exhausted and ready for the soft embrace of sleep, but he could feel the Witcher’s restlessness from across the bed.

“I’m sorry about what happened with the djinn.” 

Silence. Darkness. Yen was tense next to him.

“I wanted to -”

“No.” Her tone wasn’t angry yet filled with determination and authority. “It is my life, Geralt. You don’t get any say in it. That wish took away my choice to love you on my own terms.” Jaskier’s chest ached at the grief in her voice. He’d been so angry at her, so determined to hate her for what had happened, he’d never considered how it must’ve felt for her to find out she’d been bound to her lover against her will. 

“Should I have let you die?” 

“It was your choice of words that caused this, not the fact you kept me from completing the enchantment. I am not yours to win or lose.”

“You’re right. I’m sorry.”

“When Ciri is old enough to control her magic we will find the djinn and reverse the spell. You owe me that much.”

Geralt nodded. 

Yennefer relaxed, letting both of them draw closer to her. 

“If this is supposed to work, we will have to learn to trust each other.” She said quietly. Her slender hand cradled Jaskier’s cheek. “All of us.” 

“A bit unconventional, for sure.” Jaskier smiled and kissed her palm. “Then again, neither of us seems to be cut out for a traditional life.” 

“Traditional lives are boring.” Yen whispered, curling up against the bard’s chest with Geralt wrapping his arms around her. 

They settled in a tangle of limbs, surrounded by the warmth of their bodies and the occasional tender kiss until sleep rolled over them at last. 


	2. Only Us

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> little epilogue i improvised on the train cuz i felt like it

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i realize i wrote Ciri a bit younger than she is on the show / wrote her a little more like she is in the game, but then again i guess after she's been through she's allowed to be a bit more child for once

> _So it can be us_
> 
> _It can be us_
> 
> _And only us_
> 
> _And what came before won't count anymore or matter_
> 
> _We can try that_

  
  


“We will have to tell her someday, you know. She will ask questions.” Yennefer said thoughtfully. Her violet eyes were fixed on the child, her gaze as warm and protective as if she were her own flesh and blood. The child she had wanted so desperately had finally come into her life and she would protect her with everything she had. 

Jaskier felt a wave of admiration and affection for her flood over him, his hands thoughtfully playing the strings of his lute. If only the sorceress would allow him to write about her. Her life would write the most beautiful ballads. 

“I dont see why you dont just tell her right now.” He commented quietly. 

Ciri was balancing on the smooth rocks in the river, fighting off invisible enemies with a stick for a sword. He could hear her yell about drowners and ghosts. She almost looked like a tiny witcher, fierce and strong despite her size. It must be the first time in a long while that she’d gotten to truly be a child again.

“She’s a child.” Geralt growled. “There’s no need for her to know who I’m sleeping with.”

Yennefer’s head snapped in his direction. “I’m not some whore you amuse yourself with every now and then!” 

“I didn’t mean that!” The panic that flared in the Witcher’s eyes was almost amusing. “It’s just- This whole thing is a bit complicated. We should wait until she’s older. There’s no reason for her to worry about this right now.”

Jaskier rolled his eyes. They were really making a big fuss over nothing. He left the two to bicker and padded towards Ciri, waiting for her to finish off her last enemy before bouncing over to meet him.

“I feel much safer already knowing there’s _two_ Witchers to protect me now.” He smiled. 

“Just you wait, one day I’ll be stronger and faster than Geralt!” The girl boasted, puffing out her chest. 

“Well, you’re smarter than him already, that’s a good start.” 

Ciri laughed but her eyes were beaming with pride. “Did you need something? Are we leaving already? I wanna learn how to hunt!” 

The bard glanced over his shoulder, seeing that the other two were still too caught up in their murmured discussion to pay him any mind. 

“Do you know why the three of us showed up to pick you up together?”

“You’ve travelled together before. You’re friends.”

“You know how sometimes people are more than friends?”

“In love.” Ciri nodded. Her eyes went from Jaskier’s face towards their other companions. “Do you love them?” She asked curiously. 

“Very much.” He answered honestly. “The three of us are together. The way your parents were but without all the official stuff.”

“Three people. All in love with each other. That’s amazing!” She beamed at him. “You must have a very big heart to love that much!” 

The girl jumped forward and wrapped her slender arms around his waist. 

“Thanks for telling me, Jaskier. It’s good to know Geralt has two people who care for him like that.” 

“Of course.” He said softly, stroking her silver hair. “Just make sure not to tell anyone unless we tell you it’s okay, okay? There’s some very bad people out there.” 

Ciri let go of him to look up into his eyes, her face filled with wisdom he wished she didnt have to have yet. “I know. Don’t worry, I’m careful.” 

He watched her as she darted over to Geralt and Yen, proudly declaring that she wished to also fall in love with amazing people some day. Yen took her up in her arms, talking to her in a low voice, her eyes glowing with affection. Geralt looked over, his eyes meeting Jaskier’s and smiled, shaking his head in amusement. 

Somehow, against all odds, four lonely people had come together as one mismatched family.

Ciri was right. How lucky they were that, against all odds and despite all their sufferings, they had so much love to give and to receive. 

And their adventure had just begun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i am now very motivated to write more family fluff bc jaskier and ciri is something i need more off

**Author's Note:**

> i also want to say thank you all so much for your kinds words on the other two chapters!  
> i really, really appreciate it a lot, writing for this fandom has been absolutely wonderful and i will definitely continue doing so 
> 
> follow my instagram:  
> https://www.instagram.com/sweetinsanityarts/


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